Biodiversity and Conservation

Natural history collections underpin our understanding of species distributions, yet some historical records remain embedded in modern avifaunal checklists despite limited documentation and no independent verification. One such case concerns the Dusky Parrot Pionus fuscus in Colombia: although reported from specimens collected by Melbourne A. Carriker Jr. in 1942 in the Serrania de Perija, the species has not been observed in the country for nearly eight decades yet continues to be included in national checklists and conservation assessments. We reassessed the validity of this record by applying a multi-evidence framework integrating historic archival reconstruction, specimen-based morphological comparisons, climatic niche analyses, biogeographic limit assessment and contemporary survey-effort data. Historical documentation and morphological evidence based on high-resolution specimen images and associated curatorial records demonstrate that the Carriker specimens correspond to Pionus chalcopterus, not P. fuscus. Climatic niche analyses reveal minimal environmental overlap between P. chalcopterus and P. fuscus, and place the Perija locality within the climatic niche of P. chalcopterus, while regional biogeography and extensive modern birdwatching coverage provide no support for the occurrence of P. fuscus in Perija. Together, these concordant lines of evidence demonstrate that P. fuscus does not occur in Colombia. Our findings support its removal from national bird lists and conservation assessments and highlight how integrated, multi-evidence reassessments of historical records strengthen ornithological baselines, improve biogeographic inference and ensure that conservation priorities rest on verifiable evidence.

AimHuman land-use has dramatically altered the amount, quality, and connectivity of habitat for species worldwide. Understanding how these changes affect individual species is essential for predicting the overall consequences of land-use change for biodiversity. LocationThe Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Forest cover on the island increased from about 18 to 45% from the late 1940s to the early 2000s. MethodsUsing data on geographic distributions and functional traits for 454 tree species, we evaluated how gain of potential habitat was related to species-specific climatic associations and life-history strategies. We estimated species-specific potential habitat (climatically suitable and forested) with species distribution models and data on forest cover. We characterized each species niche breadth (the range of environmental conditions it occupies) and niche position (the environmental conditions it prefers) to compare with the conditions in reforested areas. ResultsSpecies with relatively more potential habitat in 1951 (climatically suitable and forested) also had relatively larger gains in potential habitat from 1951 to 2000. Species that tend to occupy conditions different from those common in reforested areas (i.e., more marginal habitats) gained relatively less potential habitat and species with broad environmental niches gained more potential habitat. Additionally, species with relatively acquisitive functional traits gained more suitable habitat than those with relatively conservative traits. Main conclusionsOur results show that Puerto Ricos reforestation preferentially increased habitat for species that (1) already had suitable habitat in the landscape, (2) tolerate a wide range of climatic conditions, and (3) exhibit fast, acquisitive functional strategies. These findings illustrate how land-use change in heterogeneous tropical landscapes can generate non-uniform habitat gains across species, potentially favoring generalist over specialist species and reshaping community composition.

BackgroundHuman-Wildlife Conflict is emerging as one of the most critical conservation and socio-economic challenges in the Ecuadorian Andes, where both rural livelihoods and native fauna are under increasing pressure. Small-scale livestock producers in the region depend almost entirely on a limited number of cattle, meaning that the loss of even a single animal can lead to severe economic hardship. In response, antagonistic actions against wildlife are frequent, further threatening vulnerable species. At the same time, the recent proliferation of feral dogs adds a new dimension to conflict, posing risks to both livestock and native fauna. Despite the growing severity of this conflict, little is known of its drivers, spatial patterns, and socio-ecological consequences. This study seeks to fill that gap by generating insights to inform targeted conservation strategies for community-based mitigation of conflict with spectacled bears and feral dogs. MethodsTo assess the drivers and dynamics of HWC in southern Ecuador, we conducted structured interviews with livestock owners, quantifying the frequency and intensity of conflicts across multiple species and evaluating whether farm composition and management practices predict conflict patterns. ResultsOur results reveal that large carnivores cause significantly higher economic losses than smaller predators; furthermore, feral dogs have emerged as the primary source of financial damage over the past five years. Farms with a greater proportion of forest edge were associated with a higher probability of severe conflict, particularly with large carnivores. ConclusionsThese findings underscore the urgent need for proactive strategies to promote coexistence. Identifying predictive variables of conflict risk is crucial for vulnerability assessments and the design of effective mitigation policies. Controlling feral dog populations is likely to be a critical step in safeguarding both rural human livelihoods and native biodiversity in the Andean landscape.

O_LITropical dry forests are among the most threatened ecosystems globally, yet the consequences of livestock overgrazing for ant communities remain poorly documented, particularly in the Tumbesian biodiversity hotspot of southwestern Ecuador, where uncontrolled goat grazing constitutes the dominant disturbance agent. C_LIO_LIWe sampled ant communities (Formicidae) across a goat-grazing disturbance gradient in Zapotillo (Loja Province, Ecuador), establishing three disturbance levels (Dense, Semi-dense, and Open Forest) with nine 60 x 60 m plots per level (n = 27) and 486 pitfall traps. Community responses were assessed using abundance-based and presence-absence analyses of morphospecies richness, Hill-number diversity, community composition, beta diversity decomposition, and functional guild structure; vegetation structure was characterized using satellite-derived NDVI. C_LIO_LIWe recorded 47,459 individuals belonging to 22 morphospecies in six subfamilies. Morphospecies richness declined with disturbance (Dense: 19, Semi-dense: 15, Open: 12), with four specialist genera exclusive to Dense Forest. Beta diversity decomposition revealed a shift from turnover-dominated dissimilarity at moderate disturbance to nestedness-dominated dissimilarity at high disturbance, indicating progressive habitat filtering as the dominant community-restructuring process. C_LIO_LICommunity composition differed among disturbance levels (PERMANOVA: F = 4.49, R{superscript 2} = 0.272, p = 0.001) and was correlated with NDVI (r{superscript 2} = 0.341, p = 0.013). Cryptic/soil and Leaf-cutter guilds were nearly eliminated from Open forest while the Opportunist guild expanded markedly, indicating that functional homogenization precedes detectable taxonomic impoverishment. C_LIO_LIOvergrazing drives directional ant diversity loss and biotic homogenization at both taxonomic and functional levels in the Tumbesian dry forest, underscoring the conservation value of intact Dense forest. C_LI

The Socotra Cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis) is a threatened seabird endemic to the coastal areas of the Arabian Gulf and the Arabian Sea, two regions separated by the Strait of Hormuz. Conserving threatened species requires clear delineation of population boundaries and the evaluation of genetic diversity. However, information on population structure and genetic variation, necessary for such an assessment, is lacking for the Socotra Cormorants. In this study, we assessed population structure and genetic diversity of Socotra Cormorants using two contrasting genetic markers: (1) maternally inherited mtDNA cytochrome oxidase 1 (COI) and (2) a nuclear non-coding region, {beta}-fibrinogen intron 7 (FIB7). A total of 279 individuals were sampled from four colonies in the Arabian Gulf and one colony on Hasikiyah Island in the Arabian Sea. Findings based on COI-variation suggest that the Arabian Gulf colonies represent one large population with extensive gene flow between Gulf colonies--except for the most distant pair of colonies--but isolated from Hasikiyah in the Arabian Sea. COI-variation indicated significant differentiation between the colonies inside the Gulf and the Hasikiyah colony. This is consistent with the reported distribution patterns, and may reflect phylogeographic processes of the region. The Gulf population showed substantially lower COI-diversity, with significantly lower nucleotide and haplotype diversity compared to Hasikiyah. In contrast, FIB7 results indicated extensive connectivity among colonies, with no detectable population structure or significant differences between the Gulf population and Hasikiyah. This study presents the first characterization of population structure and genetic diversity of Socotra Cormorants. The low genetic diversity coupled with relative isolation of the Gulf Socotra Cormorants raises conservation concerns regarding their long-term viability by potentially reducing fitness and eroding their evolutionary capacity to adapt to environmental change. LAY SUMMARYO_LIThe Socotra Cormorant is a threatened seabird found in the Arabian Gulf and Arabian Sea, but little was previously known about its population structure and genetic diversity. C_LIO_LIWe analyzed 279 birds from five nesting colonies (4 in the Gulf and 1 in the Arabian Sea), using two genetic markers to assess population connectivity and variation. C_LIO_LIWe found that the Socotra cormorants inside the Gulf appear to form a large, genetically isolated population with relatively low genetic diversity. C_LIO_LIThis is the first study that evaluates population structure and genetic diversity of this endangered seabird. C_LIO_LIThis is important information for the conservation of the Gulf Socotra cormorants because low genetic diversity, coupled with relative isolation, is associated with reduced fitness, and suggests that they may have a lower chance to adapt to environmental changes. C_LI

Sleeping and feeding are crucial for survival of any animal. In case of large predators, knowing where these activities occur can help us understand their behavioural adaptations for coexisting with people and could help mitigating human-carnivore conflicts. Leopard (Panthera pardus) is an elusive and highly adaptable large felid that mostly lives outside protected areas and can survive also in close proximity to humans. However, most leopard research in Africa has been conducted in protected areas and we poorly understand leopards habitat selection while resting and hunting. To shed light on their coexistence with humans, we investigated habitat features influencing leopard selection of resting and kill sites on farmlands in central Namibia, using generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) under a use-availability study design and blinded field-sampling. Leopards primarily selected resting sites that were located in mountainous, steep, rugged terrain and sites with good concealment while kill sites were selected in mountainous habitats. Human infrastructure did not affect leopard resting and kill site selection. Thus, the capacity of leopards to perform essential life-supporting behaviours while coexisting with people appears to be primarily driven by their ability to remain concealed, rather than spatially avoiding humans.

The north coast of mainland Portugal supports a strong dolphin presence and extensive fishing activity, increasing the likelihood of interactions, such as bycatch. This study provides an initial assessment of potential conflict areas, using automatic identification system (AIS) data from Global Fishing Watch. To this end, sighting data from the ATLANTIDA project (2021-2024) on the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) were used to describe spatiotemporal patterns of occurrence and encounter rates, and to predict their association with fishing effort to identify and map areas of potential overlap. A generalised additive model (GAM) was then applied, integrating environmental, spatial, temporal, and fisheries-related variables to identify the main predictors of species occurrence. Common dolphins were frequently observed during the summer, with an average encounter rate of 3.662 sightings/km. This high encounter rate may be associated with factors such as sea surface temperature, diet, and purse seine fishing activity. The maps showed a spatial overlap between fishing grounds and areas of common dolphin occurrence. Fishing effort was nearly identical between locations with sightings (2.00 h/km{superscript 2}) and those without (1.62 h/km{superscript 2}), suggesting that dolphins are not actively avoiding fishing areas but may instead frequent them due to shared habitat preferences. The best-fitted GAM indicated that encounters were related to year, latitude, fishing effort, depth, sea surface temperature, and season. There was an increase in occurrence over the years and a decrease with increasing fishing effort and sea surface temperature, possibly linked to changes in prey availability, although broad confidence intervals warrant cautious interpretation. Despite some limitations encountered in this study, we believe our findings provide valuable insights into the relationship between dolphin occurrence, environmental conditions, and fishing activities in the area, establishing an important baseline for future conservation and fisheries management efforts.

O_LIThe global decline of natural forests is accompanied by a rapid expansion of commercial tree plantations, which are expected to further increase to meet growing demand for wood products. However, planted forests generally support lower biodiversity than natural forests, particularly when monospecific and intensively managed. In this context, broadleaved hedgerows have been proposed as a nature-based solution to enhance biodiversity within conifer-dominated plantation landscapes. Such features may be especially beneficial for small mammals, including rodents and shrews, which are key contributors to forest ecosystem functioning. However, their effects on small mammal communities remain largely unquantified. C_LIO_LIHere, we assessed variation in small mammal communities among habitat types within a native pine plantation-dominated landscape in southwestern France. Using a multi-year, multi-season survey, we compared species richness and abundance among plantation edges, broadleaved hedgerows embedded within plantations and natural broadleaved forests. We further tested whether environmental descriptors of hedgerow sites influenced dominant species and whether seasonal and interannual demographic dynamics modified habitat-related patterns. C_LIO_LIPine plantation edges and broadleaved hedgerows supported lower small mammal species richness than natural broadleaved forests and were dominated by two habitat generalists, Apodemus sylvaticus and Crocidura russula. This pattern was driven by the near absence of the forest specialist Clethrionomys glareolus. Hedgerows did not increase species richness relative to plantations, but provided favourable habitat for A. sylvaticus, which was scarce in pine plantation, while supporting fewer C. russula. Variation in hedgerow structure and composition further influenced A. sylvaticus abundance, while seasonal and interannual rodent population dynamics modulated habitat-related differences. C_LIO_LIOur results indicate that intensively managed pine plantations act as environmental filters, excluding forest-associated small mammals. While broadleaved hedgerows benefited one species, their capacity to restore forest-specialist communities was limited without broader landscape-scale interventions. These findings highlight both the ecological benefits and constraints of edge-based habitat interventions and provide guidance for designing and evaluating biodiversity-oriented management in plantation landscapes. C_LI

BackgroundHuman-wildlife conflict, which motivates retaliatory killings, is a major driver of species decline globally. Addressing an open question in human-wildlife conflict, we test whether evolutionary-rooted human attitudes, independent of economic losses, better predict retaliatory responses. MethodsWe examined human attitudes toward spectacled bears (Tremarctos ornatus) and other wild carnivores in a wildlife conflict-zone in southern Ecuador by conducting interviews in rural communities. We measured both established variables - such as education levels, age, and gender - and novel psychometric variables to identify predictors of human-wildlife conflict responses. ResultsPerceptions of animals emerged as the strongest predictor of conflict responses. Communities exhibiting high levels of vengefulness, particularly within an animal-directed Culture of Honor, where individuals, especially men, are expected to respond strongly or violently to perceived threats, were more likely to support lethal interventions. Conversely, individuals with strong environmental education backgrounds demonstrated more positive perceptions of wildlife, highlighting educations potential role in conflict mitigation. ConclusionEvolutionary-derived attitudes, rather than economic factors, primarily drive human responses to wildlife conflict. Effective strategies to reduce violence against wildlife should incorporate human perceptions and culturally rooted values to address the underlying social and psychological drivers of conflict.

1) BackgroundUnderstanding how caterpillar communities vary within tree canopies is key to interpreting forest trophic dynamics and responses to environmental change, yet such variation remains poorly quantified due to the challenges of sampling in three dimensions. 2) AimsWe quantified within-canopy heterogeneity in caterpillar densities, diversity, and herbivory and explored relationships with host tree phenology and commonly used ground-based monitoring approaches. 3) MethodsUsing direct canopy access, we sampled branches from lower, middle, and upper canopy strata of 34 mature pedunculate oaks (Quercus robur) in Wytham Woods, UK, during the spring abundance peak over three consecutive years (2023-2025). We tested for vertical stratification in caterpillar community metrics, examined patterns in early instar distributions at emergence, assessed associations with host tree phenology across spatiotemporal scales, and evaluated how well ground-based methods (water and frass traps) reflect canopy communities. 4) ResultsVertical stratification was modest but varied among years: densities and species richness increased with canopy height in 2023, decreased in 2024, and were uniformly low across strata in 2025. Although within-crown budburst timing varied systematically, with upper branches bursting approximately two days earlier than lower branches, tree phenology did not explain within- or between-year variation in caterpillar communities. Frass trap data correlated moderately well with canopy caterpillar densities, whereas water traps showed weaker and less consistent relationships, reflecting behavioural and methodological biases. 5) ConclusionsCaterpillar communities showed no consistent patterns of vertical stratification across years, instead they are shaped more strongly by inter-annual and tree-level variation. Integrating targeted canopy sampling with scalable ground-based proxies could greatly improve monitoring of arboreal Lepidoptera and inform studies of trophic synchrony and wood-land resilience under environmental change.

By concentrating rodents along verges, roads can reshape rodent-mediated seed dispersal, yet empirical tests remain scarce. We conducted a two-year field experiment in Mediterranean oak woodlands in southern Portugal to test how seed dispersal varies with distance from roads across road type (paved vs. unpaved) and road-forest context (edge vs. non-edge). We tracked labeled holm oak acorns, recording dispersal distances and the number of dispersal events. The two metrics responded differently to road distance. Dispersal distances changed little with distance from roads in non-edge contexts but increased in edge road-forest contexts (2x longer at 400 m than at 10 m) and showed a year x distance-to-road interaction, with longer dispersal distances farther from roads in the second year (a poor mast year). Dispersal distances were also longer when acorns were deposited under shrubs and in areas of higher tree density, and decreased with greater natural acorn availability. In contrast, the number of dispersal events declined with distance from roads (30% more events at 10 m than at 400 m) and was higher along unpaved than paved roads (39% more events). Dispersal frequency also increased in the poor mast year and with shrub cover. No acorns crossed the road. Thus, road verges can concentrate rodent seed handling but do not increase dispersal distances near roads nor provide cross-road seed connectivity; instead, dispersal outcomes depend on edge context, road type, and microhabitat structure. Management that retains structural cover at verges and the adjacent forest edge (e.g., shrub patches and non-uniform clearing) can harness verge-associated activity to increase acorn deposition in sheltered microsites and promote regeneration farther into forest interiors in roaded landscapes.

O_LIChanges in habitat structure across species distributions may contribute to the generation and maintenance of range limits, but few studies have evaluated this by directly measuring habitat availability across relevant spatial scales. C_LIO_LIHere, we test the predictions that coarse-scale and patch-level habitat availability decline towards and beyond the northern range limit of Pacific coastal dune endemic Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia. We used aerial imagery and geographic information system (GIS) tools to measure the coarse-scale availability of coastal dune habitat in California and Oregon. The availability of finer-scale habitat patches specifically suitable for C. cheiranthifolia was measured in a 2-generation field survey of > 4,200 5m x 5m plots randomly distributed across 1100 km of coastal dune habitat transcending the species northern range limit. At each plot, we estimated the proportion of area that contained suitable habitat as well as recorded occupancy by C. cheiranthifolia. As an alternative approach to visually estimating habitat suitability, we recorded plant community composition at each plot to predict beyond-range habitat suitability using a random forest model. C_LIO_LIContrary to our predictions, we found that coastal dune habitat, measured coarsely from aerial imagery, was more abundant and continuous towards and beyond the northern range limit. At the fine scale, however, the proportion of plots with suitable habitat (patch suitability) and the proportion of habitat within plots that was suitable (patch size) declined across the range limit. Moreover, patches were more isolated from one another and, in one survey year, less temporally stable towards and beyond the range limit. Finally, occupancy by C. cheiranthifolia was less likely in smaller, more isolated, and temporally unstable patches, providing mechanistic insight to the previously observed decline in occupancy towards the range limit. C_LIO_LISynthesis: Taken together, our results suggest that fine-scale habitat patch configuration changes in ways that likely impede patch colonization, thereby reducing occupancy and limiting the species northern distribution. Thus, consideration of geographic variation in patch and landscape structure, rather than only coarse-scale habitat availability, may be essential for understanding the processes that limit species ranges. C_LI

Small marsupials in the family Dasyuridae are a key component of Australias arid and semi-arid fauna, whose high species richness is proposed to reflect an opportunity-driven adaptive radiation. Despite growing interest in this group from both ecological and evolutionary perspectives, genomic data for most species is non-existent, or limited to a few marker loci. Here, we generated a chromosome-level reference genome and a de novo mitochondrial genome for the desert-dwelling Wongai ningaui (Ningaui ridei). The nuclear genome assembly is highly contiguous, with a scaffold N50 of 594.484 MB and high BUSCO gene recovery (93.84%). Additionally, we produced a draft assembly for the related, semi-arid slender-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis murina). We then used these assemblies to explore the demographic histories of these species. We find evidence for contrasting patterns of population growth during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene, corresponding with differences in local climate, potentially consistent with differences in optimal habitat. The new genomic resources and demographic findings presented here provide a foundation for future studies on adaptive specialisation in this group of Australian marsupials. Significance StatementDasyurid marsupials are the primary carnivorous and insectivorous mammals in Australia. This diverse family includes species such as the endangered Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) and quolls (Genus Dasyurus), as well as an emerging laboratory model species, the fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata). Despite the species richness within dasyurids, most species remain under-studied. This is particularly true of arid and semi-arid zone species, who are often small in size, live in remote habitats and are cryptic by nature. By creating genome assemblies for two dasyurid species, this study provides resources to support a variety of phylogenetic, population genetic and evolutionary developmental lines of research. Importantly, the studys finding that arid and semi-arid dasyurids show distinct trajectories of demographic change in response to historical climatic shifts may point to local adaptations with implications for the resilience of these species to ongoing and future climate change.

The rising demand for outdoor recreation worldwide may be undermining the conservation objectives of protected areas (PAs). We leveraged a natural experiment, in which two adjacent PAs were closed to the public for different durations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using detections from 39 camera traps in Joffre Lakes and Garibaldi Parks, Canada, from 2020-2022, we examined how recreation influenced mammal habitat use and diversity. Bayesian regression showed weak evidence that, when recreation was higher, detections declined for black bear, mule deer, and marten, while detections of bobcat and hoary marmot shifted closer to trails. Accumulation curves revealed that species richness and diversity were higher in the closed vs. open PA in 2020 (mean differences of -5.04 for richness and -0.33 for Shannon diversity). However, diversity did not decline consistently despite increases in recreation in 2021 and 2022. Notably, several rare species were only detected in the lower-recreation PA, suggesting they may be filtered out of the higher-recreation PA. This emphasizes the need for long-term monitoring to detect delayed and cumulative effects of recreation on mammal communities. Given growing global pressures on biodiversity, we urge PA managers to prioritize adaptive management to assess and balance outdoor recreation with conservation goals.

Mediterranean Basin, one of the most important hot spots for reptiles, is also expected to experience significant impacts with climate change, posing a severe risk for the herpetofauna of the region. This study uses the snake-eyed lizard Ophisops elegans as a model organism to investigate the potential impacts of past and future climate change on reptile distributions in the region. An ecological niche model (ENM) was developed with the Maxent algorithm, with location points from GBIF and bioclimatic variables from the CHELSA dataset, then projected onto past LGM ([~]21 kya) and future (2071-2100 SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5) scenarios. Results show that the present-day distribution of O. elegans is primarily driven by temperature seasonality and precipitation, indicating a preference for coastal Mediterranean climates with dry summers. The LGM projection suggests a fragmented and contracted range, confined to coastal refugia around the Mediterranean and Caspian Seas. Future projections for 2071-2100 show consistent and alarming contraction of suitable habitats under both SSP scenarios. In conclusion these findings indicate that O. elegans is vulnerable to significant habitat loss under projected climate change. This severe impact on a wide-spread species implies that the herpetofauna of the Mediterranean Basin may face a significant threat in future.

IntroductionHuman land-use intensification and the resulting habitat loss are primary drivers of insect pollinator declines. Habitat restoration offers a promising approach to counteract these declines, yet landscape-level evaluations of bee responses to restoration and management remain limited. We conducted a two-year, landscape-scale study in Wisconsin, USA, to assess how different intensities of tallgrass prairie restoration and management affect bumble bees (Bombus spp.). ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine whether (1) bumble bee abundance and diversity increase with assisted restoration, and (2) outcomes differ between low-(seeded only) and moderate-intensity (seeded and managed with prescribed fire) interventions. MethodsUsing catch-and-release surveys, we measured bumble bee abundance and diversity at 32 sites representing a gradient in restoration intervention: no intervention (unassisted recovery), low intervention, and moderate intervention. ResultsBumble bee abundance and diversity were higher at assisted restoration sites (low and moderate intervention) than at unassisted sites. Although both tended to be greater at moderate than low intervention intensities, these differences were not statistically significant. Bumble bee community composition also differed across intervention intensity, driven by shifts in dominant species (e.g., B. impatiens and B. griseocollis). Rarer taxa, including endangered and vulnerable species, occurred only at assisted restoration sites, with the largest populations at moderate intervention sites. Across all sites, bumble bee responses were strongly and positively associated with floral abundance, but not with semi-natural habitat in the surrounding landscape. ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that assisted grassland restoration can effectively increase bumble bee abundance and diversity, supporting its value as a conservation practice for pollinators. Implications for Practice: (1) Grassland restorations targeting plant communities can successfully support nontarget pollinators across a range of management intensities and landscape contexts. Adding seeds of pollinator-preferred plants could improve restorations with low floral abundance and diversity. (2) Management of existing restorations is important to maintain abundant floral resources and diverse pollinator communities. Because sites varied widely in prescribed fire use, our findings likely represent a conservative estimate of its benefits, and higher intervention intensity (e.g., repeated seeding, regular fire, mechanical or chemical shrub and invasive plants control) may further enhance outcomes for bumble bees.

Venom is an important functional trait that helps predatory animals capture prey. Centipede predatory venoms are complex cocktails of multiple proteins, such as neurotoxins (scoloptoxins), cytotoxins, {beta}-pore-forming toxins, and enzymes. We examined venom phenotypes in two closely related and co-occurring centipede species, Scolopendra morsitans (n=28) and S. hardwickei (n=11), in peninsular India to determine whether their venoms are similar or dissimilar. An integrated proteo-transcriptomic approach was used to characterise the venom phenotypes of the two species across multiple individuals in peninsular India. We used species occurrence records and species distribution models to assess the distributional overlap among these species within the peninsular Indian region. The species showed significant overlap in their current and projected geographical ranges, corresponding with their co-occurrence. We characterised the venom profiles of both species and found that the venoms were cocktails of enzymes, {beta}-pore-forming toxins, and neurotoxins comprising 110 and 84 proteins in S. morsitans and S. hardwickei, respectively. However, the venom composition of both species differed significantly in toxin abundance and species-specific protein repertoires. This indicates trait divergence in venom phenotypes, suggesting that distinct venom compositions may facilitate coexistence among ecologically similar predatory centipedes. The observed variation in venom phenotypes among co-distributed species opens up important avenues for future research into their ecological roles and functional significance. In this study, we provided a detailed account of venom composition across multiple individuals from the species geographic range and highlighted the importance of investigating the role of venom as a trait that could influence species interactions and shape communities in these diverse tropical forests.

Animal population control is widely used to mitigate conflicts between wildlife and agriculture worldwide. Structured, monitored removals are rare in South America, however, and their consequences for wildlife populations as well as their effectiveness in reducing crop damage are little understood. Using eight years of data from an experimental white-lipped peccary management program in an agricultural mosaic in the Brazilian Cerrado biome, we assess how structured, non-lethal removals affect both peccary demography and second-crop corn damage. Leslie removal models based on 6,619 captured individuals indicated that cumulative removals to approximately 85% of the initial population strongly reduced peccary abundance, with limited demographic compensation despite fluctuations in reproductive output. Corn crop damage, quantified with satellite imagery, declined over time and was correlated with peccary population size. Interannual variation in population growth and juvenile recruitment was poorly explained by climate, fire, or landscape composition. Source-sink dynamics likely play a role in maintaining healthy populations at the regional scale. Together, these results demonstrate that sustained and monitored ungulate removals can reliably reduce population size and agricultural damage, supporting coexistence between wildlife and food crop production in human-dominated tropical landscapes.

Coral restoration is recognised as a critical tool to mitigate pantropical degradation of reef ecosystems. Robust monitoring of restoration progress is crucial for projects to evaluate their success, improve practice, and share knowledge. However, traditional visual surveys often fail to capture the full impact of coral restoration on reef function. Therefore, we employed Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) to assess whether the soundscape of a coral restoration site in the Seychelles differs from adjacent healthy and degraded reference reefs. We applied two methods of soundscape analysis: manual detection of unidentified fish sounds; and machine learning-based Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection analysis. Results were approach-specific: the manual approach highlighted similarities in fish calls between the restoration site and the healthy reference reef, while the machine learning approach extracted broader soundscape patterns, clustering the restoration site alongside the degraded reference reef. Although this is a single-site study, these findings suggest that a) coral restoration alters reef soundscapes, though recovery time may be taxon-specific, and b) multiple metrics are needed to bridge single-taxon and broad soundscape scales. This study contributes to the evolving field of soundscape ecology in coral reef ecosystems, highlighting the utility of PAM in monitoring changes to reef function through coral restoration.

Understanding behavioral differences between non-native and closely related endangered species could be important to aid conservation management. In volume 169 of Zoology, Bels et al. (2025) reported on their comparison of display-action-patterns (DAP) between native Iguana delicatissima and non-native iguanas present on islands of the Guadeloupe Archipelago in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles. Here, we address conceptual and methodological concerns about their work and reanalyze their data given our proposed corrections, primarily a literature-informed adjustment of their "species" category. We additionally utilize online videos from South American mainland I. iguana populations, from where the non-native iguanas in the Guadeloupe Archipelago originate, to better understand the different DAPs between native and non-native iguanas in the Guadeloupe Archipelago. Significant differences in DAP characteristics among "species" categories (native I. delicatissima, non-native iguanas, and hybrids) show that Bels et al. (2025) oversimplified their data analyses by merging all non-native populations into one group. This result indicates the presence of behavioral variation among subpopulations within widely hybridizing iguanid populations, which has been poorly studied. Additionally, videos from mainland populations across two major mitochondrial clades of Iguana iguana show that non-native iguanas on Guadeloupe retained DAP characteristics of those populations from which they originate. We discuss these findings in light of the proposed hypotheses put forward by Bels et al. (2025), of which two can be excluded. Overall, our reanalysis shows that studies focusing on characteristics within settings of complex hybridization in diverse species should acknowledge this complexity.